


Beyond

by chipfics



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Link and Zelda are the main characters and ship so they're who I'm tagging, Multi, Trans Link, but a lot of other characters will also show up and play important roles, this is more accuratley "sci-fi that runs on magic energy" or magitek.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:55:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23826448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chipfics/pseuds/chipfics
Summary: An AU set in a futuristic sci-fi environment wherein the technology runs on magic. Inspired by Breath of the Wild.Seers warn of the return of Ganon. Attempting to nip the threat in the bud, Hyrule begins research and refurbishes old sacred fighter ships, the divine beasts. Meanwhile on a camping trip, a young boy named Link finds a relic long lost and a destiny he was never prepared to inherit. Eventual Zelink, transmasc Link.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, this is an AU I've been working on the outline of for ages. I'm finally getting around to writing it!
> 
> This is going to be a long, long fanfiction, but I want to see it through. I hope you'll all enjoy it. This is just the setup prologue, but chapter one will be out very soon, I promise. Within the next couple of days at most!

Hyrule was a land of magic.

It always had been. The entirety of the planet and its moons were bathed in the stuff, as natural and abundant as the air the people there breathed.

All things progress and change over time, of course- and with the advent of technology, magic changed as well. From something base and instinctual, it evolved to create wonders and technologies of all kinds.

Light speed travel was achieved almost three millennia ago now, with ships striking accords and creating trade agreements with much of the star system. Labrynna and Holodrum, Termina, Koholint and the Great Asteroid Sea...all were part of the Greater Hyrulian Alliance now, a union of the solar system that brought people and lands of all shapes and sizes together. The advent of Magitek- magical technologies- had been considered by all a change for the better for the past several millennia.

Hyrule itself was a planet a bit on the smaller side, but with some of the most powerful magic in the galaxy. It had five moons of varying sizes and climates, all of which were counted as part of the greater nation of Hyrule.

The smallest moon was Naydra, named for a dragon from old legends. It was icy, harsh, and largely uninhabited save for wildlife, but its phases were used to help mark the monthly calendar.

The desert moon was known only as Gerudo, after the people who inhabited it. They were a matriarchal society, as their birth rates were five women to every one man. The environment was somewhat harsh but rewarding and homey for those that lived there, and the culture thrived on fostering endurance in the face of hardship.

The moon Totori was home to the Rito. They had once been completely birdlike, but now the people there looked more humanoid. They retained the ability to change their arms to wings, and their feet remained like bird talons. Marksmanship with ranged weapons and a variety of music were heavy influences of Rito culture, and the environment of the moon was rocky and full of coniferous forests.

The volcanic moon Darbus was home to the goron people. Legends touted them as once being made entirely of rock. Modern gorons were humanoid however, with generally large and stocky or muscular builds. They retained rocky skin on their shoulders, front legs and forearms, and could stand even the most intense heat, allowing them to survive on the blistering clime of their home. Goron culture was known for valuing food and family above all else.

Finally there was the tropical moon, Jabun. Humid and covered mostly in water with some islands, it was home to the aquatic Zora people, who had once been fishlike. Like most of the other races of Hyrule, they now had a more humanoid appearance, but colorful birthmarks and rough skin were common, as well as gill slits next to the ribs that allowed them to breathe underwater, in addition to webbed toes. Zoran culture had produced many medical and therapeutic advancements in its time.

The main planet of Hyrule itself was home to the Hylians. With pointed ears, varying skin tones and diverse body types, they were the shortest lived of the races in Greater Hyrule but the most abundant as well. Hylians also had the most versatile internal magic, allowing them to learn a wider array of elemental spells than the other races, which were generally confined to fewer affinities.

All through time, Hyrule had been a place of legends and wonder. Most common were the legends of the hero and princess, and Ganon, the ancient evil that always resurfaced in many ages to threaten the cosmos.

And it was now that Rauru, a seer of the Temple of Time, believed that Ganon may one day soon return.

“Your highness, I implore you...”

The Hylian lifespan usually ranged from two hundred to two hundred and fifty years. Rauru was one hundred and twenty-six, starting to slow a bit. He was a bulky man, even more so in his thick woolen temple robes, and his hair was white, his mustache bushy.

Rhoam continued to walk briskly down the hallway, forcing the seer to wheeze a bit to keep up with him.

“I cannot drop everything based on a dream, Rauru. You know that.”

Rhoam was the king of Hyrule, well into his reign by now. He was seventy-four and his wife had died the year prior. Still somewhat in grieving, he was not always completely collected. Rauru understood this, but he continued to follow the king.

“It is not just one dream, your highness.” He said, “It is many. Not just myself. Many of the seers from all over the country have begun having these horrible visions. Ganon will return, sir, and we need to be ready!”

Rhoam sighed. He had many meetings on his plate today, and even more paperwork. Running a country was a heavy and exhausting job sometimes. Still, what Rauru brought up was more than a compelling point. It was not only him having the dreams, but many seers from many temples, and many dreams- not just a singular event.

While he was not highly pious, Rhoam was not irreverent of magic or the gods either. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “All right, all right.” He said, “I cannot...I do not have the resources to put _everything_ into this, Rauru. That much I can say for certain. There are still other matters that need attending to. But I will work with the parliament on putting together a research team to see what we can do to prevent a calamity, at least.”

Rauru sighed this time, relieved. “Thank you, highness. Rest assured the temples will also lend our aid. You may also see about starting the princess in on magic tutoring-”

“What does Zelda have to do with this?” Rhoam said tiredly. His daughter was only nine.

“Have you forgotten the divine blood that runs in your wife's bloodline?” Rauru said, “You married into the royal family, sir, but...surely you have not forgotten?”

Rhoam shook his head. “Right, of course. Then, I will leave finding a tutor for Zelda to study under to you.”

Rhoam bowed lightly. “Yes, of course. I will find the best teacher for her, I promise you.”

The conversation concluded, Rhoam moved on to attend his next meeting. But the matter would not be forgotten- it could not be, in fact. Monsters would be sighted more and more often in the coming months. Unrest would settle in on the kingdom, and reports of more and more dark magic and evil things would crop up in the years to come.

Rauru was right. Ganon would return.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A boy named Link has a fateful encounter on a camping trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is over four thousand words! Wow! Much longer than the prologue. Please enjoy!

“ _Reports state that final remodeling is commencing on the Divine Beasts and pilots have been selected for each machine...”_

A few seconds of patchy static interrupted the broadcast of the bright red plastic radio sitting on the folding table in the middle of the small campsite.

“ _Efforts are continuing to seek out the fabled Master Sword and its wielder, but no leads have been found...”_

The campsite was located in the Woodlands Province of Hyrule on the planet proper. A moderate canopy of deciduous trees let sunlight filter down onto the two tents below, one bright yellow and one bright green. In between the tends was the fire pit, next to which was set a large folding table and several chairs.

For all the technology magic had achieved, people still liked camping, and the Shepherd family was among the most enthusiastic about them.

There was Smith Shepherd, a grandfather and mechanic, a grizzled and weathered man with a full gray beard. He had been working on all manner of machinery for decades, but especially air and spacecraft. He was short but broad shouldered and strong, even at the age of one hundred seventy. He was stoking the fire and stirring a pot of stew right now.

Seated at the table was Smith's son, Sky. He was average height, broad shouldered like his father with dark blonde hair slicked back to stay out of his face and a modest amount of stubble decorating his chin. His eyes were a stormy gray and he was sipping at a cup of black coffee. “Same old news,” He muttered to himself over his drink.

Momentarily two children emerged from the green tent.

The smaller was ten year Aryll, Sky's daughter. She was towheaded, wearing cute pigtails and a little sundress, but sensible hiking boots on her feet. She stretched, small and skinny, and said “Lunch smells great, Grandad.”

Then there was the other child. Short and scrawny for his age of just fifteen, he was buttoning a short sleeved brown shirt up over his binder and looking bleary eyed, like he had just gotten up. His skinny jeans were tucked into his hiking boots, his hair was dark blonde and wild and bushy, and his eyes- though hooded with half sleep- were a deep blue.

Having come out only in the past year and a half, he had recently finished the legal proceedings to change his name. Now in all senses, he was Link. A name his family had helped choose in support of him.

“Did you _just_ get up, Link?” Smith asked with a hearty laugh. Link blinked owlishly.

“The storm last night kept me up longer than I wanted,” Link admitted by way of answer, “At least it's nice and dry again now.”

“Juice and coffee on the table, kids.” Sky said cheerfully. Aryll moved immediately for the voltfruit juice and Link poured himself a cup of coffee, dribbling in some cream and spooning in just a little sugar.

“What's the plan for today?” Link asked as he sat. Smith finished stirring the pot of stew and began ladling it into bowls. Aryll brought them to the table, always eager to be helpful.

“Fishing,” said Smith, “After a hike out to the lake.”

“Hiking!” Aryll chirped eagerly. She swung her legs in her seat. Though she liked many more typical things, her interests were growing more varied as she aged, and she had recently taken an interest in running and hiking both. Link suspected she would want to join the track team once she was old enough.

“I'll teach you how to bait a hook today,” Link said to Aryll, taking a bite of stew and humming pleasantly at the taste, “It's a little gross at first, but you get used to it.”

Aryll nodded, not too put off. “It's just worms, it's not like they can bite me.” She said, “ _That_ would be really gross.”

Link laughed.

“Casting is the really tough part,” Sky said, ruffling Aryll's hair, “But you'll get it eventually.”

“I accidentally hooked _myself_ when I was learning to cast,” Link said, leaning in to Aryll. He hooked a finger and tickled her side with it. “Like this!”

Aryll giggled and batted his hand away as he laughed. The siblings were not very close in age, but after their mother had died Link had taken on part of helping raise Aryll and they had grown to be close friends as a result. They weren't without their arguments, but such things were usually short lived and not very intense.

Lunch proceeded. This camping trip was to celebrate Link's birthday, which had been a week ago on the first day of their outing. His name change had gone through the month before, and Sky had proposed Link choose how to celebrate his birthday this year as part of his gift. Usually Sky and Smith would arrange for a party, but with Link socially transitioning, they had wanted to give him some freedom and let him choose something that felt truly _him_. Link had chosen a family camping trip, but he would go out for burgers with his school friends when they returned as well.

As they finished eating, Link and Sky moved to gather the fishing gear while Smith and Aryll cleaned up from lunch, to be sure no animals would scuffle around the campsite while they were gone. Aryll moved into the tent to gather her stuffed seagull, a comfort item she took with her almost everywhere. She put it in her small backpack and as soon as they were finished gathering things, the group set off.

The hike was about an hour long, but the kids were still fresh after, used to camping trips and hikes by now.

Link spent the first hour of fishing helping Aryll learn the ropes. How to bait a hook, how to cast, how to reel in a fish when she hooked one. Sky and Smith left it all to him, chatting pleasantly as they did their own fishing, and the afternoon passed peacefully like this.

They caught several bass and two armored carp by the time they were done, a good mix of fish they would cook up for dinner. Two of the smaller bass were caught by Aryll, and Link complimented her on it as they began to pack things together again.

“Two fish on your first time fishing isn't bad,” He said, “It's really good in fact. You have good patience for it.”

Aryll beamed. “Thanks, big brother.” She said, “I bet I'll be fishing circles around you in no time!”

Link laughed, but a noise from the bushes alerted him. “What was that?” He asked.

Sky frowned. “Sounded like a miniblin.” He said, “Stay alert. They're aggressive little things.”

Miniblins were a member of the goblin family- bokoblins and moblins were the more well known and more dangerous types in the goblin family tree, more feared than the mischievous little imps that miniblins were. But in groups miniblins could still be dangerous, and they weren't something to allow around children regardless. Aryll shrunk back from the bushes nervously, and Smith pulled out a pocket knife.

Before any of them could truly be prepared, a brown and blue blur streaked from the bushes with angry chittering and beeping noises- the miniblin. It rushed forward, straight towards Aryll, and Link moved to protect her as quickly as he could.

The miniblin didn't attack her, to their relief, but it did something just as bad- it wrenched her seagull from her hands and disappeared into the trees with more chittering.

Aryll was frozen still for a moment, and then she wailed in dismay. “My seagull!” She cried, tears already welling up. Sky gathered her into his arms immediately as she began to weep.

“We should head back to camp right now,” Smith said seriously, “There might be more out here.”

“But Aryll's stuffed animal!” Link blurted, frowning. It had been a gift from their mother, the only thing Aryll had as a memento. He didn't feel good about leaving it.

There was chittering again, further off but still clearly audible.

“If a group of them shows up we'll all be in danger, Link.” Smith said, “We need to keep our priorities straight. I'm sorry, Aryll.”

Aryll sobbed into Sky's shoulder and he frowned, rubbing her back. Sky and Smith began walking briskly in the direction of camp. Link looked back with a frown and made to follow silently, but then thought better of it.

He stopped. He turned. Silently, without a word, he darted into the forest.

He was out of sight by the time his father and grandfather realized. He could hear them calling, and pulled out his phone. _Getting Aryll's toy. If I don't find it in an hour I'll come back._ He sent the text to his father and began running again.

“I can't give up without trying,” He muttered under his breath. Miniblins were small, and generally they ran off if their target fought back. Link wasn't unafraid, but Aryll's happiness was more important to him than the possibility of being scratched up by an imp that cam to his waist.

He pulled out his own pocket knife as he headed further into the woods, following the scuffing in the loamy soil that indicated something had come this way. It had been only one. As long as there weren't too many, he could get Aryll's toy back and deal with his father's wrath when he returned. It would be worth it, surely.

He heard more chittering, and jogged towards it, but the miniblin burst from behind a tree and further into the forest again. Link clicked his tongue and raced after it.

“You won't get away from me,” he muttered angrily as he ran.

However, a problem arose as he headed further into the forest.

He didn't know this area. It was growing more thickly wooded, for one thing, foggy for another. And finally the ground was covered in _grass_. Despite the thick blanket of trees making the light dim, lush grass and moss covered the ground, making it harder to track the miniblin. The whole area was growing darker and foggier by the moment, until Link came to a stop entirely.

“Okay,” He breathed nervously, “Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.”

He pulled out his phone, intending to text his father, but blanched when he saw that the screen showed no signal could be found. Oh, that was bad. He wouldn't even be able to access his map application like this.

Still, there was one thing he _could_ do. He poked a few buttons, and a small light on the back of his phone illuminated the area. There, now he could at least see in front of him.

Still, he was lost. He couldn't tell which direction he had even come from anymore, and he saw no signs of the miniblin anywhere. But staying still wouldn't do him any good without a phone signal- so he started moving forward, if only to find a place he could call for help from.

“Hello?” He called eventually, “Is there, uh, anyone out here?”

It might not have been safe to call out, but he needed help. If there were other campers in the area, maybe they could let him stay with them, help him call his family if their signal was better than his. Link's phone was an old model, after all, and if they had something more up to date it would likely have better reception.

No noise, no movement. Even though he felt a breeze, even the trees made no noise, and the fog did not stir. _Creepy_ , he thought.

He continued walking, looking at his phone carefully for any sign of reception.

The forest stretched on, and seemed to keep growing thicker and darker no matter which direction he turned. Link was getting more dismayed with every step, nervous and afraid.

He knew he shouldn't have run off- it was wrong to begin with. But it was his sister's favorite toy, her only memento of the mother she could barely remember. Link hadn't thought about it much. Why would he need to, when Aryll was crying like that? He had thought he would catch up to the miniblin in minutes, boot it around a bit and take the stuffed animal back.

Of course it wasn't that simple, and now he was fearing he may never find his way out of this forest he'd stumbled into. It was nothing like any of the woodlands area he had ever been in. He thought he knew the woods well, too- his family had been camping there regularly for years, after all.

But then, the world was full of magic. And there were certainly _legends_ and _myths_ surrounding all the forested areas of the planet, faron and the northern woods particularly. Things like dragons, children going missing only to reappear unchanged decades later, mischievous spirits who led travelers astray. Could that be what had happened to Link? Had one of the forest children caught him in their net? They were elusive, sighted often enough to be thought real by most, but rare enough that Link never thought he would come across one.

“Hello?” He called again, “Anyone? Please, I just want to get my sister's toy and go home...”

Koroks, the children of the forest. There were photos of them online. Little wooden imps who wore masks shaped like leaves. They were pranksters, according to most accounts, and they were protectors of the woods, keeping them from harm. Some attributed superstition surrounding that to the strict logging regulations on the planet and careful nature conservation.

“I'm not here to hurt anything,” Link called again, “I promise. I just...”

A rattling noise came from somewhere nearby, and Link froze. It had sounded like beads, maybe. He wasn't sure. His throat went dry.

“Please, I just wanted to help my sister.”

The fog seemed to dissipate a little, and Link found himself stumbling into a small clearing. There were some stumps and fallen trees around, but what stuck out most was one thing- Aryll's seagull, abandoned in the middle. Its tail was torn and it was all dirty, but that could be fixed. Link ran to it and picked it up, sighing in relief. That was one thing taken care of, at least.

He heard more rattling. It seemed to come multiple directions, and now it was joined by tinkling giggles that almost sounded more like bells than voices. He swallowed.

“I don't know who's out there,” He said loudly, “But I don't want to hurt anything, I'm just...on a camping trip.”

The fog was getting thicker again, and the noise consolidated to come from one direction. Link followed it, lacking anything else to guide him.

“A miniblin stole my sister's toy,” He called after it, continuing to follow the jingling laughter into the thickening fog. “I just wanted to help her. I'll leave straight away, if you'll let me-”

He tripped over a root.

Unable to regain his footing, he tumbled forward and down an incline, and clung to Aryll's seagull tightly so as not to lose it again. Eventually he rolled to a stop on level ground, and he heard the laughter multiply into many voices. His eyes were clenched shut, but something felt different and slowly, Link cracked just one of them open.

The fog had mostly cleared into a light mist, and he was in a huge grove. There were flowers near him. Silent princesses, a luminescent variety of lily used in many potions and in the crest of the royal family. Link opened his eyes fully and squirmed into a sitting position.

The grove around him was still full of trees, but they were more spaced apart than the thick woods of before. They towered high above him, so far that the canopy seemed miles away. The ground was covered in grass and flowers of all kinds...as he looked around he also saw a spring running through one side of the grove....and before him...was a stone dais. There was a small rise in the center that looked like it was meant for standing on, and beyond that- beyond that was the greatest, largest tree Link had ever seen in his life.

Trees in Hyrule could grow quite large, of course, so this was very impressive. The trunk was at least as wide as the main building of Link's school back in Whittleton, his hometown. It was taller, so tall that the brilliant pink foliage high above was a blurry mass that Link could not make out the individual leaves of. Even more bizarre was that the tree appeared to have a _face_. One like his grandfather's in some ways, as if it had a full mustache and beard and thick brows. He swallowed.

Where _was_ he?

He took a closer, squinting look at the dais. And in the pedestal, he saw, was a sword.

Rusted, chipped away by time, but a sword it was. It looked like a broadsword in terms of size and purpose. But Link had no idea what it was doing there.

The laughter and rattling had stopped, but from behind every tree link now saw them- koroks, peeking out every which way. Little wooden bodies with masks made from giant leaves. His blood ran cold with shock and he clutched Aryll's seagull ever tighter.

“H-hello,” He greeted clumsily. A chorus of little giggles came from the koroks. Real, they were real, they were _real_.

Magic was everywhere, it was true. It ran cars, ran ships, ran televisions and refrigerators. But the kind of old, ancient magic that koroks embodied was not a kind of magic Link expected he would ever encounter.

No, he had always fancied himself a future pilot. Interplanetary, ideally, so he could travel and see the stars. But that would mean seeing all kinds of _modern_ magic, the kind he was used to. Not this. Never this. He didn't hate this, but it was so strange, and, and- he took a steadying breath.

Perhaps the koroks could help him find his way back, he reasoned. Though mischievous spirits, their aim was usually only to protect their forest homes, so far as Link knew. If he could tell them he was only here for the toy, then...

“It's mister hero!” One of them suddenly piped up. Link balked. What?

“Excuse m-me?” He asked, voice shuddering.

“Only mister hero can find us,” another korok spoke, “So you're mister hero!”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Link said flatly, “What hero?”

One of the little koroks stepped forward. Its body was fat and squat. It probably came up to link's calf. The mask it wore was shaped like the leaf from a redbud tree.

“Mister hero,” said the korok, “My name is Makar! We koroks have been waiting for you!”

Link shook his head. “Makar,” He said politely, “I'm afraid I don't understand what you're talking about.”

Makar ignored him and turned to the giant tree. “Grandpa, grandpa! Wake up! Mister hero is here!”

Link watched with shock as the great tree stirred and _woke_ , a living and sentient being that groaned as it moved.

“Is he, now?” the voice rumbled through the grove and shook the ground. “It is about time.”

“What the hell,” Link breathed in disbelief. The tree turned its attention to him.

“Still a child,” It boomed, “Hello there, young one. I am the Great Deku Tree, the guardian spirit of the woods of Hyrule. I have watched over them since time immemorial.”

Link had read about this tree, he realized. It was in a mythology textbook at school. Nobody believed he was real anymore. But here he was, in the flesh...as real as the seagull link was now holding onto for dear life.

“I see you are confused,” The tree rumbled, “I am sorry. It appears you know nothing of what is happening.”

“No,” Link said dumbly, “I don't.”

“Is Hyrule in strife,” the Deku tree asked, “Have there been more monsters of late? Unrest in the people?”

Link thought, and remembered the news. For years now the country had been preparing for a monster they weren't sure would really come. They were still looking for...

“The sword,” He breathed in shock, “That's the Master Sword, isn't it.”

“So you do know after all,” The tree stated, “Perhaps all is not lost.”

“Then that means the hero....that's...” Link furrowed his brow. If only the hero meant to wield the sword could find this place, then what was _he_ doing here? He was only a child. His father was a stunt pilot, and his mother had been a daycare aide. What could he possibly do to save the world?

Moreover, did this mean Ganon was real? Really coming? The world really might end?

What a terrifying thought.

“You do not know all,” The tree continued, “And so I will tell you.”

Link swallowed a thick lump.

“This grove has protected the Master Sword as it sleeps for millennia now,” The Deku Tree spoke, “as have I. The will of the goddesses would bring the destined hero here when the time was right. That is what I have known for some time. And it seems I was correct- here you are.”

“You can't mean I'm the chosen hero,” Link said in disbelief, “That's impossible. I'm just a _kid_.”

“Many heroes young in years have risen in the past,” The Deku Tree assured him, “As will you. It is courage that makes you, not your age.”

“I can't be,” Link insisted, “No way.”

“If you doubt, then know this,” The Deku Tree said, “That sword is in disrepair- only the true hero can restore it by pulling it from its resting place. If you are the hero, it will allow you to wield it. Test your courage, and your purpose.”

 _The sword will prove everything_ , the Deku Tree was saying.

Link swallowed. All he had to do was pull on the sword and prove he couldn't move it, then. That was fine- there was no way it would budge for him. That rusty, beaten up thing...couldn't possibly be the Master Sword. _Could it?_

There was only one way to prove things either way. And so Link took his left hand off of the seagull and stepped forward, onto the dais. Forward, forward until he was right in front of the sword. A vine was growing on it. Link peeled it off and tossed it to the side.

 _I'll just grab it and yank_ , he thought, _and it won't move_ , _it won't._

He closed his hand around the grip, and everything in the clearing changed. The air, the light, everything.

The mist was chased away by a glaring brightness suddenly piercing through all of it. The sun seemed to glare down through the trees with a new vigor. The air took on a metallic tang and Link was sure he heard it _singing_ in a way, like the sound of a bell, or...

He pulled. The sword not only moved, it _changed_. The rust seemed to melt away, like butter on fresh bread. The dings and scraps melded into healthy, new metal. It shone like it had never been damaged or old at all, and with only the lightest pulling it slid free of its resting place.

The Master Sword was in his hand. He dropped Aryll's seagull.

“As I said, it is you.” The Deku Tree said. Link would think it gloating, but no- it was gentle, too resigned and kind to be bragging. Link breathed in sharply.

“I'm not a _hero_ ,” He whispered in dismay, “I can't be.”

“You must be,” The Deku Tree said. Link felt tears prick at his eyes. Not of anger or dismay but fear.

He had never swung a sword. He had never even been in a fight. How could he save the world? He had hoped until now that all the business with Ganon's return was just rumor being overblown by a superstitious king. But now it was not just real, it was all around him. He was in the middle of it. Link was _scared_.

“There is time yet for you to come into your role,” The Deku Tree said kindly, “You need not be ready in a day.”

Link bent numbly to pick up the seagull. Makar the korok approached, carrying a scabbard and bandoleer. “You can keep it in here, mister hero.” he said.

Link put the sword away stupidly, barely even registering anything now. The tree hummed, and the ground shook. It shook Link aware again.

“Young man,” The tree said, “I know you must be afraid. But do not despair. You will find allies, and the time will come when you are ready. All is not lost so long as you do not give up.”

Link swallowed. _Nothing's over unless you give up_. The words were similar to something his grandfather always told him during flight practice. He took a deep breath.

“All right. I'll...I'll take the sword with me, for now.” He said. The Deku Tree seemed to smile.

“Very good. Know that you can come here again, should you need guidance. You need only call for Makar in the woods.”

“I'll bring you back any time you need to come here, mister hero!” Makar said cheerfully. Link nodded.

“I need to go back to my family now,” He said, “They'll be worried. And mad.”

“I'll take you back, mister hero!” Makar said helpfully. Link sighed.

“Please just call me Link.”

He began thinking of how to explain the sword, and wondering how long he would be grounded for.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A disaster strikes in Castleton a year after Link's encounter in the forest, and he realizes he can't keep ignoring things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, it's currently shortly past midnight. I have a minor surgery tomorrow to fix an infection in my jaw. Wish me luck, I'm pretty nervous and in a lot of pain.
> 
> Link arrives in Castleton next chapter! I'll have it out as soon as I can, but some patience would be appreciated as I'll be in recovery from that surgery over the weekend and on pain medication as a result.

Link lied about the sword.

He was gone a total of three hours, and his father and grandfather were understandably very angry, but also relieved that he was safe aside from a few scrapes and bruises. Aryll was happy to have her stuffed animal back, even if it was in need of repair.

But he didn't tell them about the koroks, or their village, or the Great Deku Tree.

Instead, Link told them the miniblin had a stash of all kinds of things it had stolen off of campers and LARPers. A lot of things had already been ruined, but among them had been a “neat replica sword,” as he put it, and he took it. He said he would be posting online to hopefully find its owner. Also a lie.

He was grounded for a month afterwards, and had to postpone his birthday outing with his friends, who were just glad he hadn't been hurt.

And then a year passed.

Link stashed the sword under his mattress. He never touched it, and he tried not to think about it. He threw himself into his studies, into his school clubs- drama and baseball- and into helping at his grandfather's garage. Months before his fifteenth birthday they had begun refurbishing a tiny, old leisure etherplane. Big enough to snugly fit two, it was to be Link's first personal flight vessel provided he passed his entrance exams for high school.

He did, naturally, and as he entered year one he had the pleasure of flying himself and Aryll to school every day. Soon enough, he all but forgot about the sword, focusing on learning stunts and honing his piloting skills on weekends with his father, sometimes taking Aryll or her best friend Joel up for flights.

Meanwhile, news exploded over the Champions, as they were called. The chosen pilots of the Divine Beasts- which were old world mechs made by the Sheikah people to combat Ganon at the beginning of the magitek age. They had been reworked with updated features and technology for the coming storm(which Link tried ever so hard not to think about). The news also mentioned the search for “the hero,” the chosen individual who would wield the sword of evil's bane and strike the final blow against Ganon. Nobody knew who it was, or where to find the sword, so most of the news was speculation or about where the latest leg of the search was taking place.

But nobody would ever come around the small town of Whittleton in the west of the Woodlands Province. Nobody would ever think the Master Sword and the hero would be there. And, maybe if they were lucky, neither of them would ever be needed. Link hoped so, every night as he fell asleep, slowly worrying less and less about the sword and more and more about exams and his next plans for upgrading his glider.

He was actually finishing a new paint job on his little glider plan the day it happened.

His dad had the news playing on the little television on the work bench in the garage. Sky always tried to keep up with the latest goings on in the world. Today was no different, as a press conference was being filmed from the royal plaza in Castleton, the capital. Link tried not to pay too close attention to the king's speech and focused on getting the black edging right on the wings of his craft. The accents had to be perfect, or they would ruin everything. That's what he told himself as he looked over the rest of the plane. It was mainly green now- his favorite color- with splashes of gold and black here and there for variety. An _Epona Mark III_ , a small aircraft company that was gaining traction within the last fifty years for their accessibility features and affordable pricing. Craft anyone could fly, they bragged.

Suddenly there was a loud, static filled boom. Link jerked up in his seat, afraid his dad had fried a circuit or something, but Sky was out of his seat and toward the television. Link furrowed his brow and leaned in, then back out with horror.

The royal plaza was in flames on live TV, and it looked like _bokoblins_ were swarming around the plaza, throwing explosives and grabbing at people.

“ _This is-”_ a voice came in and the cameras switched to a man with a mustache, running with a child in one arm. _“This is Ingo Ranch, from HNN news. There has just been an attack on the Royal Plaza by a gang of what appears to be bokoblins. It is in the process of evacuation, here-”_ Ingo handed the child off to what appeared to be a soldier, _“All Castleton residents please return to your homes and lock your doors and windows. Updates will come as available. No further information at this time.”_

The broadcast cut out, and Sky flipped through the channels frantically, mouth set in a grim line. Each one had footage of the initial blast playing and emergency notifications scrolling across the screens.

Link could only stare, teeth clenched, and set his airbrush to the side. Sky said something about letting Smith know and went inside. Link began to hyperventilate.

Monsters had attacked the center of the capital in broad daylight, on national television.

People were hurt. People were probably dead.

The day wore on- but it all felt blurry and hazy to Link. Every new update brought the death toll up. It was around seven in the evening that reports came in that the bokoblins were under control and no longer an immediate threat, and the royal family was unharmed aside from a broken wrist on the princess.

Aryll had worried questions about the event, and Sky and Smith answered them during dinner, telling her all they could. _Why do the monsters want to hurt us_ , Aryll had asked. Sky and Smith had no answer.

Night fell. Finally, Sky and Smith turned off the news that had been running with updates all day. Link studied halfheartedly for his math exam, distracted and wondering.

 _Is this my fault?_ His mind asked. If he hadn't been hiding all this time, would the problem already be solved, and everyone would be safe?

“Link,” Sky sat down next to him at the table, “You've been quiet all day.”

Link put his pencil down and after a long moment, managed to say only “Yeah.”

Sky frowned. “The news really shook you, didn't it?” He asked. A hand came to rest on Link's head gently. “It's all right.”

“No it's not,” Link blurted, but he clenched his hands and looked away, unable to elaborate. What would his father say if he knew?

Sky drew him in for a hug, and Link stiffened. “It's all right to be scared, I mean.” He said, gentle. “This is scary stuff. You'd be crazy not to be nervous with everything going on.”

“I don't want to be a coward,” Link said weakly, tears welling. And yet, he had been hiding all this time. Pretending nothing had happened in the forest a year ago.

“Feeling afraid doesn't make you a coward,” Sky said firmly, rubbing his back, “What makes you brave or not brave is how you react to fear. Do you keep moving forward, or do you give up? That's what matters. Not how you feel, but how you react to it.”

Link took a shuddering breath as the words settled slowly over him. They made sense, a simple wisdom he had never really thought of until now, and especially not when he first found the sword in the woods.

That was right. It wasn't being afraid that made him a coward. He had been a coward because he had given into that fear and let it get the best of him.

But no more.

“Thanks, dad.” He said, sniffing and leaning away until his father let him go. “I get it.”

Sky squeezed his shoulder one last time and got up to finish doing the dishes. Link put his homework things away, and announced he was going to finish studying in his room.

As soon as his bedroom door was shut, Link put his study things away and Sat down at his desk. He pulled out a notebook and began to write.

He couldn't leave without saying _anything_. That wouldn't be fair to his family. But he couldn't pretend he wasn't part of this anymore either. He had to stand up, and move forward with his fear. He wrote about the forest a year ago, apologized for lying about it- and explained that he had to go to Castleton and present himself to the king. There was no other choice, and he wanted to do the right thing instead of letting his fear control him.

Once that was done, he opened up his closet and his dresser, and emptied his gym bag.

Three spare sets of underclothes went in, and his extra binder. Three changes of clothes, a sweater, his winter coat. Socks. He put in his handheld game system and game collection and a few favorite books- he would need to pass his free time somehow once he got there. After a moment of thought he grabbed the knitted throw blanket off his bed and packed that too. It was his memento from his mom, and it would probably be nice to have a blanket from home wherever he ended up sleeping after this.

The next part he waited to do. He worked on homework as much as he could, and once he couldn't focus on that he opened up his laptop and messaged his best friend, Fledge.

He struggled his way through writing the message, but in the end he pressed send and tried not to look back. _Something's come up and I'll probably be out of town for a while. If you can still play with Aryll sometimes while I'm gone, that would be great. I'll tell you more when I can_.

A message popped back up minutes later from Fledge's messaging handle. _Are you okay? Don't do anything reckless_.

Link smiled wanly at the message and replied. _I'll be okay, don't worry. It's just kind of late. I'll talk to you more tomorrow, but I won't be at school so I'll have to message you._

 _Okay_ , Fledge replied, _I trust you. Be safe out there and let me know if you need anything_.

Soon enough, Link's father and grandfather went to bed too. Quiet fell over the house, and Link peeked out into the hallway. It was empty. Satisfied that no one was there to question what he was doing, he grabbed his toothbrush from the bathroom and ran back to his room to pack it, along with an unopened bar of soap.

He waited two more hours to be sure, pacing and biting his nails in his room. When midnight struck, he couldn't take it anymore. He had to go, even if someone might still be awake. He pulled on a track jacket and his sneakers and quietly slipped out of his bedroom and down to the garage with his bag and the sword.

The Shepherds lived on the edge of town, so there weren't any other houses nearby that Link would awake by flying out tonight. He was glad for that. He was sure this would get him grounded for life, if it weren't so important. He only hoped his father would understand when he read the note tomorrow.

The garage door opened manually. Link undid the ties that kept it down and lifted it up. It was a spacious garage, it had to be for his glider and other things his dad or grandfather worked on to fit in there. Right now there was just the family car and Link's glider. His grandfather had a larger aircraft as well but it was usually kept out back because it was too big for the garage.

The paint on his _Epona_ had dried. Link balked briefly as he opened the cockpit, wondering if maybe he should just talk to his dad- but really, would he believe him? And Link thought to himself, _I can't waste any more time_. He had been hiding for a year already, hadn't he? He could make it to Castleton in three hours if he left now.

He hoisted himself over the edge of the ship and into the cockpit, stowing his bag and the Master Sword on the extra seat bench. He shut his eyes and pressed his palm to the keypad. It read his fingerprints and booted up, and he pressed the pin to start the ship's ignition sequence. Old runes floated in cascades across the screen where his navigator was booting up and there was a hum as the ship lifted just a few inches off the ground in preparation for flight. Good, the new mana drive was working well. No sputtering, no stuttering. He had also recharged the core recently, so there shouldn't be a need for any stops before he reached his destination.

The steering worked on two free joysticks. One controlled acceleration while the other controlled direction. Link tilted forward lightly on the accelerator with his right hand and the ship hummed as it coasted out of the garage and onto the driveway. Careful with his navigation, he taxied the craft out onto the road and turned on the outer lights.

“Navi,” He said to the onboard computer, “Initiate takeoff sequence.”

A small, electronic voice replied. _“Initiating takeoff sequence. Please ensure there is a long enough runway for ascent.”_

“Confirmed,” Link said. There was no traffic and this road stretched a mile before it hit the gas station on the edge of town. With a whir and a series of chimes, the engine roared to life fully. Link tilted the accelerator forward as far as it would go and pumped a pedal on the floor that assisted acceleration during takeoff for quick ascent. The _Epona_ shot forward quickly and then, a quarter of a mile down the road, it climbed just as quickly.

Chirping and whirring came from the onboard system, and a topographic map of the ground several hundred feet below sprung onto the display with a red dot marking Link's elevation and location. This was how he would navigate.

“Set destination,” Link called to the computer, “Castleton.”

“ _Setting destination,_ ” Navi announced, _“...destination set for Fyer's Airfield. Please make adjustments if this is not to your liking._ ”

Fyer's. It was an airfield chain of sorts, one that worked as a public transport service in addition to providing affordable runways and flightcraft storage. Good, he could shell out the rupees for that, at least.

“ _Estimated time until arrival is one hundred and ninety minutes. Winds are strong around Castleton tonight- please be advised of possible light turbulence upon landing._ ”

“Thank you, Navi.” Link said, and he settled back into his seat to keep a track on his steering.

There was no turning back now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm aware that Link seems to not be putting a lot of thought into his actions, and that's intentional. Part of what I want to drive home in this chapter is that he's still a kid who isn't used to dealing with big responsibilities yet, and he leaps before he looks pretty regularly. He'll grow as the story goes on though!


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link arrives in Castleton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter introduces a character I was really eager to work into the story. I hope you'll all like her. Link's big public hero reveal is next chapter! We're almost there to meet Zelda!

Link came within communication range of Fyer's Airfield right on time about three hours later. As he approached, he turned on the auto-search function of his flight radio to get in touch with the tower.

“Come in tower,” He called when the signal had locked, “This is a small personal aircraft. Request permission to descend.”

There was some shuffling like the sound of paperwork from the other end of the communication line.

“This is Fyer Airfield Tower, South Castleton location.” Came a female voice, “You're speaking with Hena. There are no scheduled flights, so I need some basic information before you can come in for a landing. Take a loop around.”

“Roger,” Link replied.

“Please state your airship size and model for me,” Hena said.

“Epona, mark three model.” Link said, “Seats two, has a small cargo stow on back.”

The sound of typing. “Noted. I need your full name and where you're flying in from.”

“Link Shepherd, from Whittleton in Woodland Province.”

“Noted.” More typing. “You're clear for landing on runway five. Please have your ID ready for checking in with security in the hangar. There's an initial storage deposit of twenty rupees for the first three days, and then twenty a day after that.”

“I understand. Coming in to land.” Link said, and he began his descent.

As his on board navigator had warned, there was some rattling turbulence as he came in to land, but it was nothing worse than flying on a windy day back home. He kept his steering steady and skidded just a bit more than he expected on his final stop, but nothing out of the ordinary happened after that.

Auto-signals pointed him toward the hangar he was meant to taxi to, and Link followed them. During normal business hours they would probably have more flight crew on hand, but it was three in the morning right now. He counted his blessings privately that there was even anyone on shift, and scolded himself for leaving at such an ungodly time of night.

The hangar was a smaller one, and there were a few other leisure flightcraft already chained down for storage inside. As Link taxied into a docking space he saw a pair of security personnel approach, the taller waving with a clipboard. As they arrived, Link finished the powerdown sequence of his ship and opened the bay of the cockpit before unbuckling his seat harness and pulling out his wallet.

“We need an official ID to keep on file first, son.” Said the older of the two guards. Link nodded and slipped his out of his wallet.

By way of keeping documentation secure, most children above age ten were given an official school identification badge, and Link was no exception. He also pulled out his flight permit badge for good measure, handing both over to the guard. The man scanned them with his electronic clipboard, nodded as they checked out in the system, and handed them back.

“You can pay for storage inside. Flat rate for the first three days in case your trip is short, but after that there's a daily fee unless you set up a long term plan for payment.”

“You're good to exit your ship now,” Said the other guard, “Follow the yellow line to the office, yeah?”

Link grabbed his things, thanked the guards and waited long enough to see them start tying his ship down and securing it before walking off.

It was hitting him now that he was _tired_. All nighters weren't something he was unaccustomed to as a high school student with a love of video games, but this was a different kind of late night than he was used to. He rubbed his eyes with one hand as he took the stairs up out of the hangar and onto the main complex of the airfield.

The yellow line extended around a small public plaza, which was empty right now, and across to a small office building. Link followed it and shouldered his way through the door.

A woman was at the desk, and her nametag read Hena. The same woman who had guided his descent, then. They must have been short staffed because of the time of night.

“Good flight?” She asked him, offering a tired smile.

“Uneventful,” Link admitted, “But that's a good thing, in the end.”

Hena moved to the register. “Good to hear it,” She said, and started punching in numbers. “It'll be twenty for your initial fee.”

Link dug his wallet out again and flipped through things. He had a card stocked with allowance credits that his father filled up every month, but generally it was preferred that he use cash as much as possible. He managed to dig up two golden rupee notes and place them on the counter.

“You're awful young, kiddo.” Hena said as she printed his receipt, “What's got you out here all on your own so late?”

Link balked. He certainly didn't want to tell her the truth, but it was occurring to him he didn't have a cover story to offer either. “Uh...”

He settled on a lie. “I'm here to visit family,” He finally said, “I'm surprising them, so...”

Hena didn't push it, and Link thanked his lucky stars she only appeared to be making polite small talk. He gripped the strap of his bag.

“Um, I have a question too though,” He said, “I want to...have a tour of the castle, I guess. I've never been to the capital. Do they have tours by appointment or...?”

Hena perked up. “Oh, you plan to do some sightseeing, huh? Well it's too late to be doing that right now, but they have public tours every two hours during the day. You just have to show up at the beginning of the slot and pay the fee.”

“How much is it?”

“Students usually get a hefty discount, since a lot go for research projects,” Hena provided, “I'm guessing it'll only run you ten or fifteen.”

Link nodded. “Thanks,” he said, “Um, it's a little late for me to be going straight to my...uncle's. Is there a hotel nearby I can check in to?”

Hena shook her head. “Not within a couple of miles, no.” She smiled apologetically, “But we do have a large lounge here with couches, and I can get you a blanket if you want to crash for a couple of hours until it's a decent time of day.”

Link sagged with relief. “That's real nice of you,” He said, “I could use some rest, it would be great.”

“It's the building next door,” Hena said, “There's a snack and drink machine in there too if you need to refuel.”

Link nodded, and moved right away. Hena went to find him a blanket and said she would catch up to him in a moment.

When he entered the lounge, it wasn't empty. There were a few other late night fliers set up at various points. A family of three was spread out over one couch already, the wife leaned against the husband, both sleeping sitting up while their little boy curled up next to them. There also appeared to be two older teens- maybe college students? Huddled over a laptop at a table.

He was about to head over to the snack machine when the door opened, and Hena walked in. She was holding a small fleece blanket out to him, and he smiled and took it gratefully.

“There's throw pillows one all the seats,” She said helpfully, “If you end up in town for a while you can call to set up a more long term payment plan for storing your ship.”

“Thanks, miss Hena.” Link said. She nodded and headed back out.

The snack and drink machine were at the far end of the lounge, near the table the college students were at. Link set his things on a free sofa and took his wallet over to grab something to drink.

One of the college students looked up as Link perused the drink options. “Whoa, you're a _baby_ ,” he said in awe.

Link jumped a little and looked over. It was a boy, tall and lean, with short brown hair, a sharp nose and a wealth of freckles on his face. The other student with him was a redheaded girl with green eyes, still half paying attention to her laptop screen. She had a ring on her left ring finger. Were they engaged?

“Oh, uh.” Link had no idea how to reply to that. “How old are you, then?”

“Twenty-one,” said the boy. Older than Link's first guess. “My name's Pipit, and this is my fiance Karane.”

Karane looked up properly when she heard her name and offered a smile and wave. “We're here booking a venue for our wedding. Once it's decent hours again, that is.” She offered.

Link nodded slowly and looked back at the drink machine. “I'm visiting my uncle,” He replied idly. Still a lie, as both his parents were only children, but it was as good a cover as anything. He was here to present himself to the king, sure, but making a ruckus any sooner than necessary wasn't something he wanted to do either.

He wanted something hot to drink. Elixir soup stuck out to him, and he pushed a couple of green rupees into the coin slot. The self heating bottle clattered down for him to retrieve and he popped the lid, relishing in how fast the container grew comfortingly warm.

“Oh, that's nice.” Pipit said, and he motioned to a chair. “Why don't you sit with us while you have your drink?”

Link shuffled a little, but then nodded and took a seat. “How long have you two been together?” He asked.

“Four years, officially.” Karane said with a smile, “Our wedding is next winter.”

Link sipped his soup. Elixir soup was a popular flavor on the main planet. It was just cuccoo broth and pureed seasonal vegetables, so it could taste different depending on the type of vegetables or the brand making it. Link was getting heavy hints of endura carrot and a little palm fruit milk in this one. Different from the brand commonly sold in Whittleton, but still delicious.

He offered a smile to the couple, though. Honestly, even if he couldn't be truthful about his purpose in town, it was nice to have someone to talk to. Whittleton had fewer than twenty thousand residents, but Castleton had upwards of a million. It was a big, big city and just looking at the sprawling expanse of lights had been intimidating when he was flying in.

“It must be nice to have that,” Link admitted, “I've still never asked anyone out yet.”

“How old are you?” Karane said, “Out of curiosity.”

“I turned sixteen last month,” Link said, “And I'm trans, so I've been...more focused on my social transition the past couple of years than I have been on the possibility of dating.”

Karane and Pipit both nodded. “Makes sense,” Pipit said sagely, “At least you know what your priorities are. Mine were all over the place when I was your age.”

“Are you going to physically transition?” Karane asked curiously.

“I'm on puberty blockers right now,” Link said, “But we have an almost hour long commute to see my doctor for that. I'm thinking I might wait until I graduate, so I can see someone at whatever university I attend.”

“Most larger ones do have centers for that these days.” Pipit said, “You're going to college though, huh?”

Link nodded. “I want to study galactic engineering,” He said, “And be a pilot.”

A smile spread across pipit's face. “Well, that explains how you're out here all alone. Good on you, though! You'll get to see the whole star system if you get the right job.”

“That's the idea.” Link replied.

He shared some more small talk with the couple. They were from the Great Plateau, and had grown up together in Hopper's Pond, a small town that was even tinier than Whittleton. Right now they were renting an apartment off campus of Hateno University while Pipit did maintenance work at a local factory and Karane finished her sociology degree. Link told them a little about his family- not too much so they wouldn't ask probing questions- and once he was done drinking his soup he bid them goodnight.

The couch he had claimed was not uncomfortable, but it was smaller and less soft than his bed back home. The throw pillow was a little scratchy. Still, it was better than sleeping in his ship for the night, and Link drifted off soon enough, nerves bundling in his gut as he tried to parse how he would get in to see the king.

He awoke at nine in the morning to his phone vibrating under his shoulder. With a jolt, Link sat up and frantically checked the notifications.

Three angry text messages from his father. What the hell has gotten into you. What are you on about. Come home right now. And...a voicemail.

It was his grandfather's voice as he listened, stomach dropping.

“ _Link Oren Shepherd, I don't know what in the hell you're thinking just up and running away like this, but your sister is beside herself with worry and your father had a breakdown when he found you gone.”_

Guilt settled deeply onto Link. He listened with lips pursed, but there was a pause and a sigh before his grandfather's message continued.

“ _I read your note. Your father doesn't believe it. Doesn't want to- but I know better than to think you would ever spin a story about something like that. I don't know how you ended up with that sword, but you be careful. You come home as soon as you can, so we can set you straight, and don't you ever do this again.”_

Link folded his blanket and grabbed his things. Pipit and Karane were already gone, as was the family that had been asleep on another couch last night. Now there were other people sitting at the lounge tables and chattering at each other. The business day had already started, evidently.

Link followed the signs to the exit of the airfield and stood on the curb. There was a shuttle stop as a free service that would lead into town proper, and it looked like it had already started running today. He took a seat to wait on the bench.

It was a fifteen minute ride from the airfields to the southern plaza, and Link stepped off and took in a deep breath.

The roads were cobbled stone, an older style but updated with new paving as the years wore on. Roads tended to receive much less wear and tear as antigravity floating vehicles became more and more commonplace in comparison to old wheeled vehicles, though. Even the clunky shuttle from Fyer's had been a floating machine.

Castleton had four major hub plazas within it. There were the east and west plaza, and the south plaza where Link now stood getting his bearings. They were all large, but biggest was the central plaza, just south of the Castle and its surroundings, which were large enough to be considered a small town on their own. Trains ran all throughout the city- antigravity machines that were guided by colorful ether waves that looked like beams of light darting about above the buildings. The ones in Whittleton were closer to the ground, but Link had to crane his neck to see the bright yellow lights of the Castleton railways.

There weren't any trains running in the area that he could see, and he furrowed his brow. The plaza was already starting to fill up despite it being before noon. Shops and restaurants were opening. Teens and kids were already in school, but many adults on their way to work were about as well.

Link scanned until he found a woman come up from a stairwell to an underground shop with two trash bags. She turned into the alley and tossed them into a dumpster and was about to walk back down when Link ran up to her.

“Miss!” He called, and she turned. She looked to be at least partially of Sheikah descent judging from the bright red of her eyes, but the red hair and slightly rounder ears suggested Gerudo. Mixed race, perhaps? She was buxom and a bit overweight, and smiled welcomingly at Link as he approached.

“Hello, boy!” She said, “Not in uniform. Are you playing hooky in all this hubbub?”

Link ignored the question. “I just wanted to know where the train station is,” He asked, “I need to get to the north side of town.”

The woman frowned at that, placing her hands on her hips. “Oh, honey. Did you not hear the news? The trains aren't running until next week. Damage to the lines, and they're working on new anti-monster security measures so all public transport save the taxi service is on hold for the time being.”

Link's face fell and his heart sank. No train? Not even any bus? And he certainly couldn't afford a cab. He still had some money- enough to eat for the rest of the day, at least- but it wasn't much.

“Oh,” He said despondently, “Damn. I...” he sighed and muttered, “I guess I'll just walk.”

The woman crossed her arms. She was short, not much taller than Link's petite frame, but she seemed to take up loads more space. “Honey,” She said, “What are you up to?”

“Uh,” Link fumbled, “School project. I need to tour the castle.”

The woman shook her head again. “Tours are closed until security measures are updated too, honey. You won't get in.”

Link's hand went to his mouth and he bit his knuckle sharply. Oh, of course. How could he be so stupid? Hadn't the princess been injured? Why would they open the castle for tours at a time when security threats were a concern? This was just getting worse and worse.

“Pardon me for prying,” The woman said as Link panicked, “But I would think your teacher would postpone a project deadline during a time like this. Are you really here for school, or are you hiding something?”

His pulse began to race. Caught. Link knew his lie wouldn't hold up if anyone questioned it, but it was all he had. He wasn't doing anything wrong, not really, but his story was so wild and out of the ordinary that most people wouldn't believe it. And as much as he had already flubbed, he was sure that going around advertising that he was the hero, holding the Master Sword...well, that would put a target on his back. He wanted to save that reveal for the castle where there would be experienced soldiers to look after and train him.

...Gods, he was going to have to learn to _fight_.

The woman was still waiting for an answer. Palms sweating, Link clutched the strap of his gym bag and weakly said, “I don't think you'd believe the truth, ma'am.”

He turned to leave. “Thanks anyway. It's pretty urgent I get there today, so I should be on my way.”

His phone chimed three times in quick succession. More texts from dad, probably. He took it out only to silence it completely and put it away again.

“Kid,” called the woman before he had made it even a few steps, “Have you eaten?”

Almost as if on command, Link's stomach growled. No, he hadn't. He flushed as he avoided eye contact, but the woman only let out a hearty laugh.

“Come inside,” She said, “I run a restaurant. Why don't you explain your problem to me while I make you some breakfast?”

* * *

The woman was named Telma, it turned out. And Link's hunch about her ancestry had been fairly accurate- she had both Sheikah and Gerudo blood, and a little Hylian too.

Her restaurant was dimly lit, but not dank. A bar was in the center back and several tables were set in rows, with booths along one wall. There was a lot of wood finishing with some stone accents. If not for the televisions on the walls and the up to date register, he would have mistaken it for a historical tavern.

Telma motioned for him to follow. “Come sit at the counter in the kitchen. I don't open until noon today.”

Reluctantly, Link followed. The kitchen was spacious and had a brick floor. Nobody was inside yet, so he supposed the staff must not be there yet. Telma began shuffling around for pots and pans and ingredients, and link found a stool by the wall that he pulled to the counter to sit on.

“Now,” Telma said as she started cooking, “Tell me about yourself. You said your name is Link?”

“Yeah,” Link replied shyly, “I'm sixteen...barely. My birthday was a month ago.”

Telma nodded. “You're a tiny thing for sixteen.” She said.

“I'm trans,” Link explained. It wasn't a common identity in Hyrule, but it had still been centuries since any kind of common bias against lgbt people had existed publicly. He had no worries about stating it.

“Ah. On blockers?” She asked, “You gonna go on HRT?”

“Yes and yes,” Link said, relaxing a little now that he was hearing her talk so casually and calmly, “It's a long way to see my provider though, so we're just waiting until I graduate to have me start T, probably. Most universities have HRT providers on their staff now, so...”

“Planning on college, then.” Telma said.

“Yeah. Magitek engineering,” Link said, “Like my dad and grandpa.”

Telma let the pans sizzle for moment, found a glass, and poured voltfruit juice into it from a bottle. She set it in front of Link.

“It's good to have goals,” She said with a smile, “

Link took a sip of the tangy juice. Voltfruit always made the mouth tingle a little. Some people liked the sensation and others didn't. Link enjoyed it.

Telma moved to the stove. Link sipped at his juice while she worked quietly for a few more minutes, and then finally she came to the counter with two plates for him and herself.

It was a traditional Gerudo style breakfast, by the looks of it. Seared strips of poultry, seasoned with warm safflina and salt and pepper. Off to the side were chopped and chilled vegetables with savory pepper dipping sauce. Link saw carrots, celery and a particular variety of squash that was well known to thrive in dry climates. He had never eaten it, though.

“It smells great,” He said, “Thank you kindly for making me some food.”

“I can tell you're scared of something,” Telma said calmly as she sat down. Link tensed again, and took a bite, concentrating on the juicy meat in his mouth.

“It's okay,” Telma said, “I don't think you're up to anything bad. I'm a good judge of people, see, and my gut says you're not a bad kid. But whatever weight you're carrying, you'll only collapse if you try to bear it alone.”

Link continued eating, scarfing his food down now that he realized just how hungry he was. Telma took a few bites before continuing. “Tell me, does the reason you're in town have anything to do with the sword I see poking out of your bag?”

Link swallowed his food and a lump that formed in his throat. Oh, she'd noticed.

He put his cutlery down and balled his fists on his knees. He weighed it for a moment, but finally decided. Telma was a good person. She'd offered him breakfast free of charge, called him _honey_ like he was her nephew or something. There was a warm, kind air about her that he could tell already was fully genuine.

“I...” He took a deep breath before plunging in, “I'm the chosen hero.”  
There was a long silence. Telma's eyebrows flew up first, and Link looked away nervously. Eventually she put her fork down, then folded her hands under her chin.

“Now that's the last thing I expected to hear. But you don't seem to be lying, so either you're having wacky daydreams or you're the real deal.” She said, “How do you know you're the hero, Link?”

Link told Telma about the camping trip. His sister's lost toy, the korok village. The things the Great Deku Tree had said to him, and the sword.

“I'd been hiding it under my bed for the past year,” He told her, “I was scared of it being true. Because if I'm really the hero then Ganon really is going to come back. And I hoped that if I ignored it, things would just go back to normal somehow and nobody would ever need me.”  
He sagged. “And then...yesterday happened, and I realized it wouldn't have if I had just come forward sooner.”

There was a beat of silence, and Telma's hand settled over one of Link's and squeezed. He looked up at her, fighting tears.

“It's _not_ your fault, Link.” She said, “I won't say you shouldn't have come forward sooner, but being afraid is something everything deals with. Especially someone as young as you with as much on his shoulders.”

Link looked down, but Telma nudged his head back up. “It's not your responsibility to prevent bad things from happening all on your own.” She said, “The hero has the power to strike the final blow against Ganon, sure- but that doesn't mean he has to do all the fighting by himself. This is _our_ planet. We _all_ have to work to protect it. That's why we have the divine beasts, and why we're taking stronger security measures now.”

Link nodded slowly. Telma smiled.

“Now, you should certainly report to the castle,” She said, “But you'll have a hard time finding anyone to talk to. I can probably help with that. I'm well known. Some of the guardsmen are regulars here. So you sit tight, and I'll call Eagus. Finish your breakfast.”

Link looked at his phone after Telma left. He frowned at all the worried messages from his family and friends.

Soon, Telma would have her guard friend here, and Link could be on his way. Soon.


End file.
